NOW LIVE! Today's the day you meet your new best friend. You don’t have to leave Wolfy behind... In 'Pets & Sidekicks' your companions level up with you!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="spyscribe" data-source="post: 1837853" data-attributes="member: 5808">Happy Birthday to me!  And since I can't get Fajitas to put up a celebratory update, I'll just have to do it myself.Part the Sixty-EighthA Series of Interesting ConversationsEver since the party’s discussion as to whether or not they should return to the Sovereignty to take on the druid ogre, Lira has been feeling unsettled.Mostly because she doesn’t really want to go back.In the original battle, her great contribution was effecting the party’s retreat.  Whenever the party is under attack, she stays at the back of the action and does what she can without getting too far into harm’s way herself.  Lira knows she has very rational reasons for doing these things.  A hit that Thatch can shrug off without a second thought would easily kill her.  But as rational and logical as all these thoughts might be, she can’t help feeling that they aren’t the thoughts of a good Questor, who is supposed to not only face the challenges that Ehkt sends his way, but actively seek them out.And so, realizing she is in a bit of a spiritual crisis, she goes looking for some spiritual advice.She catches Devon as they leave midnight services, “Devon?  Do you have a minute?”He smiles warmly.  “For you?  Of course.” Devon invites Lira into his office and she settles into her usual chair.  After a bit of small talk, she tells him about the doubts she has been having.  “I seem to be really good at running away, which doesn’t seem like what Ehkt would want, but at the same time, it seems hard to believe that he really wants me to die either.”Devon thinks for a few seconds, then addresses the young sorcerer.  “Well then, should I find someone else to send on this mission?”Lira is a bit taken aback.  This isn’t the sort of response she was expecting.  Devon however, does not give her time to answer.“Because there are many of your brethren who would leap at the chance to face the challenges you have encountered, and will no doubt continue to face.”Lira considers her words carefully, realizing she has just lost a considerable amount of Devon’s confidence, although not sure exactly how.  “No… No, I don’t want you to do that.”“Are you sure?”“Yes.  I think it’s important that there be someone… like me… on this mission.  An arcanist.”Watching closely, Lira notices that Devon’s face darkens ever so slightly as she says the word, “arcanist.”  But all he says is, “I see.”Lira is abruptly reminded of something Devon said to her the night he first tapped her for this mission.  “I don’t blame people like you for being as you are.”  The night after the Academy fire, it felt like acceptance… now, she is not so sure.Lira rises from her chair.  “I’m sorry for bothering you.”Devon smiles as he rises and shakes her hand, but the smile does not quite reach his eyes the way it used to.  “Not at all.  You’ll be in touch?”Lira’s smile is not as free as it once was either.  “Of course.”**********Anvil the Just is on his way to his cell, when Tenacious stops him.  “Anvil, there’s someone here I think you should speak to.”“If Kettenek demands it.”“He doesn’t, but I suggest it.”“Very well.”Anvil is led to a small, non-descript meeting room, where there waits a man.  His dark hair and skin mark him as an Ebisite.  “Good day,” the Ebisite says.  “My name is Haman al Harad.  I am to understand that you are one of those who fought the creatures of shadow at your Wizard School?”Anvil regards the man carefully.  “I am,” he replies.“Excellent.  What can you tell me of them?”Anvil debates answering, but concludes that none of what occurred that night is truly secret.  He carefully describes the beasts, their abilities and their seeming imperviousness to any kind of magic.  “Now that I have told you this,” Anvil demands, “you will tell me of yourself.  Who are you and why do you wish to know about these creatures?”“Ah, of course,” Haman says.   “I am the… proprietor of a gladiatorial arena.  I am always on the lookout for new creatures that may be brought to fight.  I seek one of these shadow creatures.  I would be willing to pay handsomely if you knew where I could find one.”Anvil regards Haman again.  He does not much fit Anvil’s idea of someone associated with gladiators.  He doesn’t quite have the showmanship.  His bearing is a little too stiff.  A little too military.“I do not know where such creatures can be found.  If I did, I would see to it that they were hunted down and destroyed.”“I am willing to pay quite a—“ “Their refusal to submit themselves to the power of Kettenek marks them as abominations in his sight.  For no amount of money would I suffer one to live.  And even were I willing, I do not have the information you seek.  I do not know where they came from or where they can be found.”Haman purses his lips and nods.  “I see.  Then I shall have to pursue this matter elsewhere.  Thank you for your time.”“May Kettenek’s Justice be upon you.”**********Eva is cold.She wishes she knew where she was or why.  She remembers there was a fight and then… then there was darkness, a darkness she wasn’t even aware she wasn’t aware of until she felt the cold and saw the light.It is a tiny flame, like a candle flame, and it flickers in the cold breeze that surrounds her.  It is all she knows.  All she sees.  All there may be.Until the voice speaks.Low and throaty, yet distinctly feminine, it whispers in her ears, as if the speaker is standing right behind her.  A chill runs down her spine, as if unseen hands were running their icy fingers along her body.Well, the voice says, almost a harsh laugh. Here you are.“Where am I?” Eva asks, certain she should know but unable to recall.In that place to which you have always been headed, the voice responds, as if taking pleasure from her confusion.   Where all creatures have always gone, where all journeys end.  That familiar place you visit ever so briefly, every time you blink your eyes.  You’re there.  With me.  Clutched tight to my bosom.  The icy fingers caress her shoulders, and the voice whispers sweetly, seductively, singing a song desired yet feared.“Who are you?” Eva asks, certain she should know this as well.The voice laughs, a cold exhale that tingles Eva’s ears.  I am the shadow of the hollow tree at night.  The cold air that tingles your spine when something is amiss and you don’t know what.  The breeze that tips the dice from a six to a one.  The quirk of fate that means your number is up.“Oh,” Eva says.  She feels she should be more concerned about her predicament, but all cares of the present and future are gone.  She finds herself dwelling strangely on the past, remembering choices made and opportunities missed.  She has never been one to dwell.  It seems odd that she should do so now.The voice chuckles again, mirth and malice in equal parts.  Poor little leaf, caught in the wind, blown all out of her control.  You never thought it would happen to you, did you?“No,” Eva says, sadly.All the stories, all the songs.  Things that happened to other people.  Not to you.  You knew better.  Never a thought for the unthinkable, the inevitable.  Do as you will, choose what you like.  Roll the dice and take your chances.  It will all work out in the end.Now it is the end.How did it work out?“It probably could have worked better,” Eva admits.  Her eyes are transfixed by the tiny, flickering flame, dancing in the darkness.The icy fingers encircle her shoulders, run through her hair.What if you had another chance? the voice asks.“Another chance?” Eva asks.The voice laughs again.  Nothing is permanent.  Life to death is the simplest change of all.  Death to life is hardly more difficult.  Not for me.But if I offer this change for you, what change do you offer me?Eva’s brow furrows.  The flame flickers, as if it might suddenly go out.“I don’t know.  What do you want?”You.“M-me?”There’s work to be done.  My winds are always blowing, and they hold a place for you.  Give yourself to me, and I’ll give you back to you.The cold breeze surges about her.  The flame gets dimmer, whipped about helplessly.“I…I don’t know…” she says, watching the flame with eyes wide.You know things now you did not know before.  You have heard my breath in your ear, felt my touch on your skin.  Can your world ever be the same?  Is it so difficult to accept that?  Is it so difficult a promise to make? Is it such a desperate chance to take, to feel the wind in your hair once more?The flame flickers, nearly going out.“What… what would I have to do?” Eva asks.The voice chuckles.  All in good time…And with that, the icy fingers recede from Eva’s shoulders.  The cold breeze dies and the flame grows stronger.  Stronger.  Bigger and bigger, almost blinding until—***************Eva slowly opens her eyes.  She convulses as it all comes back to her: the dire badgers, the pain in her side, the horrid rending sound she knew was the flesh of her own neck—And the cold, harsh voice.But all these thoughts fly from her mind as she sees the man standing over her.  A man she has met only once before, shortly before she met the rest of the party.He smiles his wolfish smile at her.“Well,” he says, “it seems we have a lot to talk about.”</blockquote>

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